Worthy
by Pharies
Summary: Hermione just wants to feel worthy of what she wants. Can Draco prove that he finds her worthy enough or with Oliver keep her from him now that she's walked away from her long time lover? AU. First time trying something like this. Hoping not to be more than 5 chapters, but that may change.


Disclaim.

Draco wrapped his arms around his lover, pulling her closer. She kissed the junction of his arm and torso. His lips quirked, not quite a smile, because he knew she loved him. He knew that she wasn't going anywhere. That they would always be like this.

"Draco?" she whispered, sleep obviously trying to take her body.

"Yes, love?" He knew that tomorrow they would go back to what the world thought they were: enemies and reluctant co-workers.

"What was that look you gave me earlier?" Her voice was soft, distant, but hopeful nonetheless, though he didn't know what for.

"What look, dear?" He made sure to keep his voice gentle. She was very temperamental if something struck her wrong.

"Your face softened at a few points and-" she cut herself off with a shrug. "I'll just say it was you caught up in the heat of the moment." He chuckled knowing she was trying to convince herself of something more than him.

"It felt bloody fantastic, if that's what you're talking about." She sighed and shook her head as best as she could against his chest.

"That's not it. Just forget it." She sighed again and pulled out of his arms. He pushed away the urge to pull her back into his arms where she belonged. He knew that they couldn't be together; so did she. Only he was the one making sure that it never became more. He feared his father too much, still, for that. She found her undergarments and put them on quickly before finding her jeans. She sat on the bed and pulled them on each leg before getting off the bed again and jumping a little as she made them sit the right way on her hips. He frowned slightly as her body disappeared from his view.

He watched as she ran a hand through her hair, messier than normal due to their time together. She picked up her tank top and shoved it on hastily. She was scowling now. He sat up in bed and tried to call her back.

"Don't." Her voice was sharp. He didn't know what had happened, but she was obviously not happy. "Don't call me to you and make me forget that I want to feel _wanted_. Make me feel only worthy enough to get you off, but not worthy enough to take in public; worthy enough to only sneak around with." She turned from him and walked toward the door, sitting on a chair next to it in order to pull her socks and trainers on. "I just want you to worship my body the way I do yours. Make me _feel_ what I feel for you." She was talking quietly, but he heard her.

"Hermione, we've been over this. I do want you. I-" Her head snapped up and he stopped talking. She was glaring at him.

"Draco, just stop. If you wanted me that badly, we wouldn't have to sneak around the way we do." She sighed again, running both hands through her hair this time as she broke eye contact. "I thought I could do this. It's just sex anyways. That's what we told each other. Only it's much more for me now, and I can't handle you not giving me what I really want and need." She looked back up at him with sad eyes. "I bumped into someone today. Someone that made me remember that I _am _worth more than just being some jerk's lover."

"Who?" He kept his voice even. She couldn't know that she was actually breaking him with those words. That all he was picturing was her wrapped in the arms of some nameless guy that wasn't him and it tore him apart. His greatest fear, after his father, was losing her.

"Oliver Wood," she whispered after a few more moments of silence. She got up from the chair grabbed her sweater and walked out the door of the room they had shared for the past several hours.

Draco watched Hermione walk out that door. He did nothing to stop her. He knew that she just needed some time. Rather he _hoped_ she just needed some time.

Hermione was sitting at her desk, paperwork piled up around her the way things tended to do with Unspeakables, especially the new head of the department. She had yet to open any of her mail. It was still early in the morning. She refused to touch any of it though because she thought he would be able to sense her touch the paper his hands had touched. See her face as she read his words. She just couldn't do that.

"Morning, Granger," he sneered as he passed her office, pausing slightly, though she was really the only one that could tell. His eyes were sad. He looked a little thinner and she felt her heart clench a little bit at the fact that he was miserable.

Hermione was his boss now. She was promoted two weeks ago. It had been nearly a month since she walked away from him. Only a week since she was seen with Oliver Wood. Draco had gotten nastier at work since then, but this was the first time he had sent something to her since that night. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Good morning, Draco," she called sweetly. She didn't want anyone to think that she hated him. He worked for her now. There could be no bitterness, even though she could taste it in the way she said his name. The aftertaste was the worst thing. He nodded at her, his eyes resting on her stack of mail, which she caught before he completely passed her office. She got up and closed the door blinking back tears. They would do her no good. She picked up the huge stack of envelopes that sat in her inbox. She sifted through them placing his aside for the time being. One by one she took care of the issues and handed out assignments based on who was most qualified for the job. She worked her way through the stacks of paperwork that had been glaring at her all morning after lunch. By the time she was to leave, she found that she couldn't. She had to read what he sent her before she left her office. She took a deep breath as she broke the seal and then pulled the letter from it's holder.

_Mione, _

_I do not write this lightly. I saw the small article in the Prophet about you and Wood. _

Hermione snorted. That _small_ article had taken up half of the front page.

_It pains me to know that you could be happy with him. It bothers me more than it should that he'll have you in his bed instead of you being in mine, but I can get passed that._

_What I can't get passed is the fact that I don't feel warm anymore. There's this cold spot within me that I didn't know could even be there. I didn't realize you had melted away the cold to such a point that I felt better. You did that, and I don't think that I'm going to feel fine any time soon without you. _

_I miss you, my love. Please, let me fix this. I want to show you that you are worthy of all you desire and more. I want to show the world that nothing can keep us apart. I didn't realize that seeing you smiling with another man would rip through me like a tide crashing against the shore in a storm. _

_Meet me tonight. I'll wait for you at your favorite restaurant until eight._

_Drake_

Hermione shook her head before folding the note up and placing it back in it's holder. She started sorting through papers and placing things in her bag that she could take home to work on over the weekend, which wasn't much, but that note was one of them.

Once at home, she saw that she had a note from Oliver waiting in her mailbox, along with a few bills and some junk mail. She tossed the junk papers into the box she kept by the door for such things, placed the bills on the little table there, and opened Oliver's note as she walked up her stairs.

_Mia,_

_ Can't wait to see you. That place you raved about sounded perfect, so I thought we could go there. See you at 7:30._

_-Ollie_

Hermione smiled. She placed the note on her dresser, dropped her bag next to it, and sat on the bench at the end of her bed. Her feet were still not used to the heels she had bought, but she was okay with that. They were a little high for her normal taste, but they looked much better with her slacks for work as well as making her a little taller.

Now barefoot, she shed her clothing for a quick shower before getting ready for her third date with Oliver. The picture from that article was from their second date. A quidditch game, of all things, but she had had fun. Her heart ached for Draco, but she couldn't remember the last time she felt so light. Oliver made her smile with no effort. There was no pain associated with his name. There was nothing to work through yet. There was just this easy period of getting to know each other as adults instead of the barely talking students that they had once been.

She was wrapping a towel around her body when her Floo chimed, alerting her of someone being in her living room. She sighed, dropping the towel and grabbing one of her robes instead, wand tucked safely up her sleeve.

"Oh, for the love of Merlin." She cried when she saw the back of a familiar blonde head. He turned to face her. "Draco, leave."

"Not when you are standing there like that." She pinched the bridge of her nose. Of course he would say that. How could she be so stupid? This was the robe he had gotten her for Christmas a few years ago. It fell just passed her knees and he would only be thinking of the way it fell from her shoulders now. The way it looked pooled around her stiletto clad feet when she stood before him in nothing else. It was her favorite light robe though and he had been the last person she expected in her living room. Now she wished she had put on the one that went to her ankles. She wouldn't be trying to push the images away of them together yet again.

"Like what, Draco? I just got out of the shower. I have a date." She finally said after calming herself from throwing things at him, leaving it vague because he wasn't her date. She felt a bit bad about that, but still. It was none of his business and he shouldn't even be in her living room.

"I see. So I should just go wait for you there then is what you're saying?" He quirked an eyebrow and she cursed as a hand ran through her hair.

"No. You should go home. I am not meeting you tonight. I had previous plans." She made sure to keep her voice as devoid of emotion as she could. She had learned from him. His mask fell and she could see that he really did want her back. Back to what capacity, she didn't know. She didn't really want to find out either though.

"Mione, please," he whispered. She said nothing, nor did she move toward him. "I do want you. I can't stand the sight of you with him."

"Then you should have realized that I would want to be with someone else, Draco. He is everything you are not. Dark where you are light physically, light where you are dark emotionally and mentally." Draco was cracking. She could tell, even when he tried to be guarded around her, she picked up on all his things. Did he even do to same with her?

"I love you, Hermione. Please come here. I need you." She shook her head and backed up.

"No. You love the idea of me." Her words were sharp like that night. "You let me walk away," she whispered. They stood there in silence for several moments. "I will not tell you again, Malfoy." His eyes searched hers. "Leave," she hissed before darting back up her stairs.

Hermione tossed her robe on it's hook, flicked her wand to ward her door, and then started getting dressed. The matching set of scarlet lace and satin bra and panties made her feel more confident than she should about the situation she was in. The black leggings, white flats, and white and blue tunic calmed her nerves for the simplicity of not having to do anything to impress Oliver. She put her watch back on her left wrist and grabbed a few simple pieces of silver jewelry that matched her outfit before heading into the bathroom to see what her hair was doing. She sighed, but flicked her wand nonetheless. Her hair pulled itself up, pins holding it in place, shorter strands falling to frame her face. She smiled realizing that it looked better than she thought it would. She checked her purse to make sure she had her keys, wallet, and lip balm before leaving her room, hoping that Draco had indeed left.

Oliver was just walking up the pathway to her house when she stepped out the door. He wore his hair longer than he had at Hogwarts and she thought he looked dashing with it barely falling in his eyes. Her heart skipped a beat when he smiled at her, which she couldn't help but return. He was in jeans that hugged him in a way that said he was defined, but left what was underneath to the imagination. His black tee hugged his arms and chest, but hung a little loose otherwise.

"You look lovely, Hermione," he said once he had stopped a few steps from her. His eyes told her how genuinely he believed that. She blushed. Draco, nor any other guy she had encountered outside of her family, ever said she looked lovely.

"Thank you, Oliver," she said softly. She took the few steps between them and held out her hand, which he took on instinct. Their fingers intertwined and she led the way to the hole in the wall of a restaurant not far from her two story cottage. He asked her questions about work that he knew she could answer after finding out that she was an Unspeakable. She asked him what he did with the bit of spare time he had from Quidditch. There was no awkward pauses, but she felt the urge to lean into him more. Felt him go to move his arm only to say something to distract her instead.

"So what should I get then?" he asked after she had commented that they were almost there.

"I don't know. I usually get one of the specials." She looked over at him and saw that he was looking at her as well. She blushed and looked forward again, only to groan when she saw that pale hair yet again.

"Something wrong, Mia?" She had stopped walking and that had obviously worried him. She sighed and looked at him.

"Malfoy's here." She didn't elaborate, though she knew she would have to eventually.

"I don't see why that's an issue. We don't have to talk to him." She cringed.

"You don't know Draco very well," she whispered.

"I know him well enough to know that he'll keep his mouth shut about you around me." He didn't seem to catch the use of Malfoy's first name, but he was very firm in his assessment of the situation. Hermione took a deep breath.

"Oliver, Draco's here because he knows it's my favorite restaurant." She held his gaze waiting for him to catch on so that she didn't have to say anything else. Understanding slowly dawned on his face.

"Really?" She knew he was asking to be sure even though he knew the answer.

"Yes. He asked me to meet him tonight, but you and I were already going out. When he showed up at my house earlier I made sure to-"

"He was at your house?" he hissed, interrupting her. Hermione mentally cursed as she looked away from him. She bit her lip and looked back at him, taking in his stance. He looked ready to kill and she felt oddly aroused by the idea that he was possessive of her after such a short time.

"I told him to leave." She smirked slightly as she continued, hoping that he would _show_ her how much he wanted her to be with him and not Malfoy. "He fought that bit with me for a few minutes since I was in a robe. I had just gotten out of the shower when the Floo chimed." He growled slightly and she felt her knees weaken at the idea that he wanted her nowhere near another man in so little. She stepped closer to him and placed a hand on his upper arm. "Does that bother you, Mr. Wood?" she whispered huskily. He wrapped an arm around her, never breaking eye contact.

"You have _no_ idea." She bit her lip and stepped back slightly.

"Then prove it in front of him." Her voice was still husky. She cleared her throat and walked backward, pulling him with her.

_I know that I said I wasn't going to write anything else that was multi-chaptered until my other stuff was done, but this was screaming at me. Hope you liked it. -Tori_

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